The ‘below average’ concern Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is obsessed with fixing

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been humming right along so far on the 2025 MLB season, currently sitting at 25-12 after a recent series win vs the Miami Marlins. The Dodgers are currently dealing with some injuries, as they await the return of pitchers Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and others.

Mookie Betts also recently had a health scare when he dropped 20 pounds after dealing with a sickness, which also caused him to lose some of his bat speed and undergo a rough 13-game stretch in which he batted .176.

Recently, Betts got 100% real on how that setback affected him in his return to play.

“I have a baseline of numbers as far as bat speed that I try and hit throughout the day to make sure I’m moving fast enough and ready for a game. I could not get the bat to those numbers,” Betts said, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Betts also acknowledged that even when injuries or illnesses aren’t a factor, bat speed has always been one of the few weaknesses in his game.

“My bat speed, even fully healthy, is already below average. Now you take off 20 pounds and it’s even worse. I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve got to do whatever it takes to get the barrel going,'” said Betts.

Despite this, the Dodgers have been cruising for most of the 2025 season, recently picking up a road series victory over the Atlanta Braves before taking two out of three from the Marlins.

The Dodgers are widely considered the favorites to repeat as World Series Champions this fall, having not only maintained much of their core from last year’s squad but also added several key contributors in free agency.

Betts can probably feel free to take his time getting back up to speed due to the number of MVP-caliber teammates he has on the roster.